Would you survive nuclear blast?
November 13, 2001 10:57 AM   Subscribe

Would you survive nuclear blast? With all the talk of Bin Laden's nuclear capabilities lately, you may be interested in this link again. Its been posted before, but not in this context I presume.... I wonder where the fallout would have the worst affect?
posted by Espoo2 (26 comments total)
 
Nifty little link!

I just read a Singapore Yahoo link where a reporter claims Bin Laden said he'd only use a nuke (which he claims is available from Central Asian sources for $10-20 million) in retaliation to a US nuclear strike. He wouldn't iniate it.

(pause)

Now that you're through laughing, I should note that (if the report is valid), I find it oddly reassuring, since it would tend to confirm to me that he doesn't have the capability yet. Just selling wolf tickets.
posted by RavinDave at 11:16 AM on November 13, 2001


So then to what was he retaliating when he sent a bunch of planes into a number of buildings? I think that his "retaliation" comment is full of it. Retaliation or not, having the nukes alone is scary enough.

...
The Blast Map was mentioned before, but that was nearly 2 years ago. Still, it's the principle of pointing out a double post that counts.
posted by mkn at 11:39 AM on November 13, 2001


I had it map a one megaton hit on New York, NY. It appears to have detonated exactly where I work. That's not good. But if I were at home, it looks like I'd just be bleeding from my ears or something. I can deal with that. Whatever, New York isn't a prime target anyway, right?Ã’t
posted by etc. at 11:51 AM on November 13, 2001


I sure hope it goes off on the weekend while I'm home. I'll be much safer.
posted by bondcliff at 12:02 PM on November 13, 2001


This site shows the prime targets for each state, with maps from FEMA, also a US fallout map and community resources. Not for bedtime reading.
posted by ferris at 12:03 PM on November 13, 2001


And I thought I was depressed before. Makes you want to move to North Dakota or something.
posted by aacheson at 12:08 PM on November 13, 2001


Oh crap. If you look at Ferris's link, North Dakota looks as bad as California. Ah well, I guess I better stay in San Francisco and surely die.
posted by aacheson at 12:12 PM on November 13, 2001


Well, Philly is pretty much fried. Is Hawaii targetted at all?
posted by adampsyche at 12:14 PM on November 13, 2001


As long as you aren't on the island with Honolulu, the Hawaiian islands are not targeted.
posted by adampsyche at 12:15 PM on November 13, 2001


And I thought I was depressed before

I've been obsessing about this since I heard it on Friday night...

The good news is that whatever nuclear weapons Al Quaeda does have are probably in the kiloton, rather than megaton, range. But that's still not good news at all! It means that I'd still die either way if NY is the target, and, well, I don't want to die!

Oh crap. If you look at Ferris's link, North Dakota looks as bad as California

Well, that's more of a cold war thinking-- those are where we have military assets. Unfortunately, the terrorists' targets are civilian population centers. Actually, the terrorists' target is probably me, well, all of NYC.

Unfortunately, we have little deterrence working for us against Al Quaeda. They WANT to die. I'm beginning to like the Soviets more and more....
posted by andrewraff at 12:19 PM on November 13, 2001


And I thought I was depressed before. Makes you want to move to North Dakota or something.

But is a nuclear blast really worse than North Dakota?
posted by Espoo2 at 12:32 PM on November 13, 2001


And here's a map of nuclear waste transport routes in the US. These could be targets too.

...Cornelia [Georgia] police reported, a man was picked up and released by Cornelia officers two weeks ago when he was discovered taking pictures of the railroad tracks at the Cornelia depot... Cornelia police searched the man's vehicle and discovered train schedules with information on hazardous chemicals and ballistic missile parts traveling through the area. Freight lines commonly carry hazardous materials, according to Norfolk Southern Corp. spokeswoman Susan Terpay.

posted by ferris at 1:07 PM on November 13, 2001


Is Hawaii targetted at all?

Apart from Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Haleakala, the major volcano on Maui, as well as Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii are both supposed tracking stations of the "star wars" missle defense system. I suspect someone might want to take them out.
posted by Hackworth at 1:14 PM on November 13, 2001


Well, when it exists, that is.
posted by Hackworth at 1:17 PM on November 13, 2001


Would you survive nuclear blast?
Probably not. I suppose there is a slim chance I might end up with super powers, but it is unlikely.
posted by thirteen at 1:26 PM on November 13, 2001


I'm moving to Idaho.
posted by swift at 1:34 PM on November 13, 2001


I think this is pretty cool. If a nuclear war gets going, I don't want to survive - and from the looks of it, I won't have to. Let's hear it for living in a major city between a major naval base and a major aircraft manufacturer...

-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 1:44 PM on November 13, 2001


I like how in their model, the fallout from 1 Mt blast in Seattle makes a beeline right for Spokane.
posted by gluechunk at 1:51 PM on November 13, 2001


I'm with andrewraff -- we can't think "strategically" anymore. Omaha/SAC? No longer a target. Dakotas? Ha! But NYC, Washington, and possibly LA are still definite first choices. An asymmetric war probably will have little interest in pure military targets, rather in targets which will have the greatest political effect.
posted by dhartung at 2:27 PM on November 13, 2001


Re: the target maps on the site that ferris pointed out. I understand why Montana and the Dakotas (they house missile bases), Colorado (NORAD) and Nebraska (SAC) are all targets...but what's up with western Missouri?
posted by RakDaddy at 2:47 PM on November 13, 2001


Mars, I see your point. But I like life and don't want to die. But if there's a nuclear war, I wouldn't much be liking life then, eh?
posted by aacheson at 4:05 PM on November 13, 2001


dude. for new mexico, they picked roswell.

"to free the aliens, man!"

there's not even a military base there. well, there's a military school, but i don't think that really counts.
posted by sugarfish at 4:51 PM on November 13, 2001


Awesome link! Thanks for posting it!
posted by pooldemon at 7:05 PM on November 13, 2001


>I like how in their model, the fallout from 1 Mt blast in >Seattle makes a beeline right for Spokane.

So I'll have a couple days to move to Moscow (ID)
posted by faceonmars at 8:17 PM on November 13, 2001


sugarfish: Yeah, they seem to have some mildly eccentric bomb locations going on. According to this, apperently The Enemy(tm) intends to drop not one but two nuclear bombs on Monterey, CA. I can't fathom why. ("Take that, aquarium! How do you like this, sea-themed tourist-oriented restaurants?")
posted by youhas at 9:23 PM on November 13, 2001


North Dakota? Won't that place be crawling with militia men saying "I told you so"? I'd rather step outside and take it full in the face.
posted by vbfg at 5:59 AM on November 14, 2001


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